


Shaken not Shot

by Tsuki_Amano



Series: 365 Stucky Shots [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Espionage, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, and half eaten pizza, no superpowers, spy AU, vague hints of violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-14 05:06:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4551645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuki_Amano/pseuds/Tsuki_Amano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’s got to have the wrong address. There’s absolutely no way that this lump of tomato sauce stained blankets on the sofa is the Bucky Barnes.  Because the last time he’d checked, Bucky Barnes was one of the world’s fiercest and most terrifying negotiators. </p><p>The man, whose head was now poking out of his Totoro blankets, was glaring at him grumpily as he knocked a half-eaten box of pepperoni pizza over while reaching for the remote to switch off ‘Trading Spaces’.</p><p>Steve’s terrified all right. Just not for the reasons he expected to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is post-serum Steve but whether you want to imagine winter soldier Bucky or not is up to you. Post-serum Steve made for excellent visions of him in a suit though.

He’s got to have the wrong address. There’s absolutely no way that this lump of tomato sauce stained blankets on the sofa is _the_ Bucky Barnes. Somewhere, somehow, something has gotten irretrievably lost in translation. Because the last time he’d checked, Bucky Barnes was one of the world’s fiercest and most terrifying negotiators.

The man, whose head was now poking out of his Totoro blankets, was glaring at him grumpily as he knocked a half-eaten box of pepperoni pizza over while reaching for the remote to switch off ‘ _Trading Spaces_ ’.

Steve’s terrified all right. Just not for the reasons he expected to be.

“Uh, Mr. Barnes?” he asks nervously. The man shifts a bit, scratching his cheek absently, “Who’s asking?”

And Steve really wants to roll his eyes, because what was the point of that question. He’s standing in front of Bucky and asking him.

“I am? I’m Steve Rogers, I work with your friend…”

“I know who you are. Natasha’s told me about you. You’re the kid who got stuck in the window on your first heist right? Is it true you got chased by her pet poodle and she beat you over the head with a mop?”

He flushes, “It was a dachshund. And no, she came at me with a rolling pin.”

Bucky laughs and as he does so, his blanket tips off his head. His hair’s unkempt and he looks like he hasn’t shaved in a month or two, but Steve’s struck by how, well, handsome the man looks. His eyes twinkle as he pats the cushion next to him on the couch, indicating that Steve should sit down.

Steve sits down as gingerly as possible, discreetly feeling for pizza or chips or any other hidden food items. He notes out of the corner of his eye the pile of empty beer cans in one corner of the room as well as the rum and vodka bottles that lie scattered about.

“So Steve,” Bucky asks, pulling him out of his thoughts, “What can I do for you? It isn’t everyday Natalia sends someone here personally.”

“You used to be one of the best negotiators there was. I don’t think there’s an agent out there that Natasha respects more than you, except for Barton, and that’s saying something. And right now, I could really use your expertise.”

Bucky pulls the Totoro blanket closer and something in the room shifts. “Let me stop you right there Steve. I retired. I’m no longer an active agent of anything except online stock trading. I haven’t been on the field in over a year. I’m sorry pal, you’re going to need a new player on your team, because I’m out.”

He clutches the hem of his shirt tightly. Natasha will be pissed if he tells Bucky this, but he needs to do it. He takes in the state of the room around him again. Something had made Bucky leave, this wasn’t just a voluntary retirement.

“Barnes, listen. When’s the last time you spoke to Natasha?”

The man shrugs, “A month ago I think. After she got back from Dublin. Why?”

He hesitates. If Bucky doesn’t agree to come with him, there’s a good chance that Natasha will never talk to him again. But if he doesn’t fill him in on what’s going on, Bucky will never even consider coming with him. And if they can’t close this deal…

He shuts his eyes tightly, staving off the wave of exhaustion that hits him like a train.

His eyes fly open when he feels a warm hand over his own. “Hey, Steve, buddy what is it? What happened?”

Steve’s caught by his eyes, that seem so sharp and clean compared to the rest of him. He wants to pull away, to look away, to have taken back the entire last month, but he can’t.

“One of the jobs last month, it went wrong.”

Bucky sucks in a breath. He’s fully aware of the implications of that sentence.

“What happened Steve?”

Steve’s working a separate job with Sam, a small time transporter gig up in Paris. It’s routine, everything’s gone smoothly and they’re collecting their pay cheque when Steve’s phone rings. He checks the caller ID to find that it’s Natasha calling, which is odd because she never calls when he’s on a case and she’s supposed to be working a job with Clint and Phil in Greece before they come home.

“They’ve got Clint.” She says without preamble and Steve grips the railing so hard it cracks a bit.

“What? How?” That didn’t make sense at all. The three of them were supposed to be looking into a child smuggling ring in town, nothing else, and nothing more. Unless...

“Tell me this has nothing to do with HYDRA.”

He’s met with silence.

“Natasha. _Tell me you didn’t do anything._ ”

“There was a base. It looked like it was abandoned. We ran surveillance and thermal imaging and everything came back negative. Coulson even cross referenced the location with our databases and there was no match. We got the green light from Control to go in to scope the place out. It turns out that the place wasn’t as abandoned as we thought and they ambushed us. They took Clint.”

He can hear her voice break at the last sentence and he runs a hand through his hair. “Are the two of you ok?”

“I’m fine, my shoulder is dislocated. Coulson’s got a concussion and a few broken ribs but the doctors say he’ll be fine.”

“That’s good. I’ll talk to Fury about this. For now, you just rest alright.”

If they’ve taken Clint hostage and not shot him down on the spot, they want something. Chances are, if they don’t contact Fury today, they’ll do it soon.

There’s a pause on the other side of the phone.

“And Steve. I’m sorry.”

“It’s going to be ok Nat. I promise.”

He’s brought back to the present by Bucky’s hand squeezing his own gently. “HYDRA got in touch with Fury the next day. A guy called Rumlow, not sure if you’ve heard of him, but he served with me when we were in the army. Back then he used to be a good guy. They’re claiming they want an exchange of some sorts for Clint. He’s alive, we’ve seen the footage. But we have no idea what they want in exchange for him. They’re asking for a third-party negotiator.”

He fixes Bucky with what he hopes is a gaze of desperation.

“Our only chance is you. Please don’t make me go back to Natasha and explain to her that you wouldn’t come.”

Bucky sheds his blanket and Steve’s mouth goes dry because was he always shirtless under those blankets and oh look. He was wearing boxers. Thankfully Bucky couldn’t see him ogling the way those boxers framed his er… _assets_ since his back was facing him now.

“See something you like Rogers?” And oh, apparently he could see him checking Bucky out. Well that was ok. Who needed dignity anyway?

“I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll come with you on two conditions. One is that this is a one-time offer. I’m retired and I plan to continue to be retired. And secondly, I remain as a third party negotiator. I work as per my own requirements and in no way will have decisions dictated to me by SHIELD.”

Steve nods. That’s fair enough.

When Bucky flashes him a grin, Steve flushes again and looks down because this is really _not the time._

“Natasha was right about you, like a puppy in human form.” Bucky snorts. “Give me a few minutes. I need to search for clothes that have been washed sometime this month and grab a few things and we’ll leave.”

He’s halfway through the doorway when he turns around and calls out, “And Steve. Don’t call me Barnes or Mr. Barnes. That was my dad. Friends call me Bucky.”

He winks before adding, “And cute guys can call me whatever they want.”

Steve grins, “How about jerk? I like the sound of that.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky meets the SHIELD team and understands a little bit more about what's expected from him.

The drive back is filled with the sort of awkward silence that Steve dreads. Bucky stares out the window with a sullen expression and Steve can’t help but wonder how much he’s regretting his decision. He decides to focus as best as he can on the road, only occasionally peering at the handsome man seated next to him.

It’s during one of these not-so-sneaky sneak peeks that he notices Bucky has fixed him with an amused grin.  Steve flushes and asks, “Something you want?”

“You haven’t asked me yet.”

Raising his eyebrows, Steve responds, “About that sweater you’re wearing? I don’t comment on another person’s fashion sense no matter how many poodles there are.”

Bucky turns towards to him, “Cute. This was a present from a little old lady who lived upstairs. That’s not the point, don’t avoid the subject. I mean, you haven’t asked me about my voluntary retirement. Why not?”

Shrugging, Steve turns the steering wheel so that they turn down the next road. “I figured it wasn’t really my place to ask.”

Bucky’s gaze only gets more intense, “You’re an interesting one Rogers, I’ll give you that.”

When they reach headquarters, Steve’s not too surprised to find Natasha waiting for them. She scowls when she sees Bucky and punches Steve’s arm. “I can’t believe you’d call him.”

But when she presses a kiss to Bucky’s cheek, Steve figures she can’t be all that angry, although he’s surprised by the flash of anger that surges through him, completely unbidden. He forces himself to remain unaffected when Bucky murmurs softly to Natasha in what sounds like Russian. He gives them some privacy for a few minutes, before clearing his throat. “I’m pretty sure Coulson and Fury are waiting for us.”

Nick and Bucky look equally displeased at the sight of each other and once again, Steve finds himself wondering if this was a good idea. Bucky sits next to him in the debriefing room and taps his fingers on the table as they wait for the others to arrive.

“Who else is in on this?” he asks Steve curiously.

“Well there’s Nat, Phil, Nick and myself, you’ve met us. You’ll also meet Dr. Banner and Tony Stark today. They’re both the genius minds behind almost all the tech we have here.”

“ _Almost_ Cap? I’m offended, I’m pretty sure Bruce and I can claim credit for all the tech.”

Bucky’s gaze is drawn to a pair of men who walk into the room. The first is dressed in what appears to be a Metallica band t-shirt and jeans, and has a cocky smirk on his face that makes Bucky want to scowl. The man behind him is dressed more subtly, in pressed pants and a shirt, with a peaceful air about him, although Bucky feels that something’s off about him.

When he’s introduced to the team, the meeting starts and Fury catches them up about the recent turn of events. He gets to explaining Bucky’s part when Tony interjects, “Hang on, why are we trusting this guy? We barely know him. Besides look at his face, he doesn’t even want to be here.”

Clenching his jaw, Bucky prepares to retaliate when Steve replies for him. “HYDRA asked for a third party negotiator Tony, you know that. Besides, Mr. Barnes comes with excellent references.”

“Yeah well he can take his references and shove them up his…”

“Would you put a lid on it Stark?” Bucky starts as Phil cuts in. Till that point, he’d been mostly silent, not saying anything.

Steve rushes to Phil’s side, where he’s risen from his chair and forces him to sit down again, before turning to Tony again, “Look, I know that as a team we haven’t had a chance to work with Barnes and that’s bound to raise some concerns. However, you need to realize, Tony that we have next to no time at our disposal. It’s either this or find another negotiator that we can trust working for SHIELD.”

Tony looks displeased but he sits down and Fury resumes the debrief. Bucky doesn’t miss the look shared between Steve and Fury though and he fully plans to find out what it means.

“We’re not exactly sure when the call from HYDRA is going to be, in all likelihood, we should expect a call sometime within the next three days. Now I’m speculating here, but HYDRA probably wants to have a hostage exchange.”

“Who’d you manage to catch that HYDRA would be so interested in?” Bucky asks.

“Ever heard of a man named Zola?”

Bucky shudders, he knows Zola, he’s had the misfortune of running into him a few times. Now he understands why HYDRA is so interested in getting him back.

“Alright, for the time being, we work as though every second counts.” Fury looks like he’s winding up his meeting.

“Fine by me. Bruce and I will work on triangulating the coordinates for Clint from the last video they sent us. We’ve narrowed it down to the city, if we search harder we should be able to get a better location. Once the next call comes in, we’ll be able to pinpoint his exact location, the software for that is in place.”

“While they’re doing that, I’ll find out what we’ve got at our disposal to sweeten the pot. We’re going to need a good deal to convince HYDRA to give us Clint back alive.” Natasha adds.

Coulson says, “I’ll see if there’s anything else I can dig up about the ambush or about Rumlow. Steve’s papers on the man will help me form a better idea what tricks he’ll try to pull.”

Fury nods approvingly, “I want to talk to Barnes alone for a few minutes. Rogers, you’ll act as his escort and security for the next few days, until this mess blows over. I’ll need you to wait outside for a few minutes till we’re done.”

Steve looks unsure but he heads outside with the others.

Bucky looks expectantly at Fury. “Well?”

“Barnes, you’re no fool, I’ve read your file. You understand what’s at stake if Zola is allowed to return to HYDRA. Steve’s already filled me in on the terms and conditions of you agreeing to help us out, so think of this as a request. Zola’s return to HYDRA is non-negotiable.”

“And what about your agent? Barton? What if that’s the only way to get him back safely?”

“I don’t plan on repeating myself, and I’m fully aware that you’re a creative thinker Barnes.”

“Does Steve know about this? Hell do any of the others know about this?”

Fury stares at him impassively and Bucky lets his lip curl, before he storms out of the room. He’s about to tell Steve he’s out, the words are on the tip of his tongue when he notices Steve is talking to Phil, who looks almost distraught. The man starts when he sees Bucky, and rushes forward to clasp his hand, shaking it.

“I appreciate what you’re doing for us Barnes, I understand that this isn’t something you’d count as a pleasant experience.”

He composes himself and bids them a good night before heading out, probably to his office.

Bucky looks at Steve questioningly, who smiles at him, “Come on, let’s go. Fury’s got a room reserved for us.”

“For _us_?”

“Security remember?” Steve says smiling at the incredulous look on Bucky’s face.

As they make their way down the corridor, Steve says quietly, “Clint and Phil are together. We don’t advertise it around here, because dating within SHIELD is risky, but they’ve made it work. What happened to Clint, it’s an acceptable job risk sure, but it doesn’t make it any easier, you know?”

Bucky sighs heavily, “I do know.”

Steve doesn’t say anything, just places a warm hand on Bucky’s shoulder and squeezes gently. “Well, this is us.” He says, nodding at the door where they’ve stopped.

It’s a fully furnished apartment inside, Bucky realizes gaping, with a bedroom with two queen sized beds, not to mention a glorious bathroom and kitchen.

Once he’s finished gaping and gotten ready for bed, Bucky turns on his side, so he’s facing Steve who’s reading on the other bed.

“I get the feeling Tony’s dislike towards me is a little personal.”

Steve stiffens.

“Where’d you get that idea pal?”

Laughing he says, “This is why you’re not the negotiator. Seriously, did I do or say something to offend him?”

“It’s not my place to say.” Steve says softly. “It’s something that happened a long time ago. Nick and I thought that Tony would be over it, but he isn’t. I’ll talk to him about it in the morning.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just…”

“I understand. It’s ok Bucky, honest. Don’t worry about it alright? You just figure out how to get Clint back alive?”

Bucky wonders if he should tell Steve about what Fury told him. If he should let Steve know exactly how small the chances were of Clint coming back alive. He’s tossing and turning in his bed that night when Fury’s words hit him, ‘ _creative’_ he’d said.

He sits up stock still in his bed. If Fury wanted creative, he’d get creative. He’s got a plan alright, he just hopes it will work.

 

                                                                                                                                      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >.


	3. Chapter 3

_“Mr. Barnes, you fail to understand that the terms you’re dictating are just not acceptable enough for us. Either you give us what we want, or you’ll find that the consequences are most…. unpleasant.”_

_“What’s unpleasant is your sorry excuse for a tie. Don’t try intimidation tactics Jacques, you know I’m not an easy man to sway. I have what you wanted, now give me the papers and we can all go home.”_

_“Can we really Mr. Barnes? I doubt that. You mean to tell me that there aren’t over fifty SHIELD officers and tactical agents outside in addition to numerous snipers? You insult my intelligence. Ah, I heard that intake of breath my friend. You see, I do know that under ordinary circumstances, you are a most difficult man to convince. Which is why I thought I’d keep one last card hidden till the end.”_

_“What do you mean? Jacques what’s going on?”_

_“Perhaps you will understand when you see her.”_

_“Agent Barnes, should we initiate fire?”_

_“No, don’t do anything till I give the order! I think they have a hostage.”_

_“Agent Barnes, Director Fury is calling for an immediate fire…”_

_“Tell Director Fury to screw himself. Wait for my…Oh God… Becca?”_

_“As of now, I’m over-riding Barnes’ jurisdiction. I repeat, Agent Barnes is compromised. All agents, report to Agent Hill and myself. Prepare for fire on my mark.”_

_“Copy that Director.”_

_“Becca!”_

That night, as Steve heads in to the shower, Bucky pulls out his laptop and curls up on the armchair in the corner of the room. He’s fully prepared to spend the entire night working if he has to.

Zola’s the only item they have at their disposal. Natasha hasn’t managed to find anything that they might be able to use to their advantage and if Fury’s serious about not wanting to release the scientist then there’s no chance that they’ll get Clint back alive.

He’s deep in thought when the bathroom door opens and Bucky lifts his head up absentmindedly, not really focussing on Steve. His head darts back up though when he catches sight of the other man.

Steve’s only in a pair of soft grey sweatpants, a towel draped over his shoulders. His hair is damp from the shower and Bucky watches a drop of water trickle past his clavicles and drip down his chest. The man was built like a truck and Bucky wasn’t a fool to not appreciate someone as gorgeous as him.

When Steve lifts his gaze and catches Bucky looking at him, he cocks his head curiously and asks, “Is something wrong?”

He remembers how Natalia had spoken fondly of the younger blond man, wanting nothing more than to take him under her wing and shelter him from the world. “He reminds me of a dog,” she’d said, and although her face was stern, there was no bite to her words. It’s about as close as she’d get to expressing fondness if she wasn’t deeply invested in a person. As he looks at the wide blue eyes staring back at him, he thinks he understood what she meant.

“It’s nothing,” Bucky says softly. He’s not shy in the best of circumstances, but not only is he unaware of Steve’s sexual preferences, he’s also sure that this isn’t the best time to be fishing for a date.

“I’m just thinking about this deal that we’ll need to make with HYDRA.” He says, trying to deflect.

Steve hums under his breath, walking up to the cupboard and then to Bucky’s disappointment, pulls out a t shirt and pulls it over his head. He sits down on the bed closest to Bucky and looks down at the ground. He shuffles his feet a bit, letting them run over the soft carpet, not saying anything. Bucky waits for him to be ready and in a few minutes, Steve says, “Can I tell you something?”

Saving his work on his laptop, Bucky says, “Sure thing pal, what’s on your mind.”

“It’s just, there’s no one I can tell this to without it sounding silly, and you’re the only one I can trust to be neutral in this situation. There’s something about this deal that just doesn’t feel right, you know? Maybe I’m just paranoid or whatever, but something about this, it doesn’t add up.”

“How do you mean?” Bucky asks cautiously.

“It just, it just feels like Fury isn’t telling me something. And I know he doesn’t have to, but Clint is my teammate and more than that, he’s my friend. I can’t make informed decisions on the field unless I’m actually informed.”

For a split second, Bucky’s composure slips, but that’s all it takes. Steve sees the break in his mask and he sits up straight.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”                                                                               

“Don’t lie to me! Bucky, if you know something, you have to tell me. I can help you, we all can.”

He contemplates the pros and cons of what he’s about to do.

“Steve **_stop_**!”

It’s like standing in front of a tank, he thinks to himself, struggling to hold Steve back.

“What was he going to do? Just not tell any of us? Does anyone else now, _does Phil know_?” Steve’s furious and in a way Bucky understands. It’s a strange feeling, like the earth has been pulled out from beneath your feet. You never expect the lies to run that deep and you never expect the stakes to run that high. But still, if Steve barges in to Fury’s office right now then any chance he has of pulling off this deal successfully will be lost.

“What do you plan on doing when you go into his office?” He asks sharply. “Even if you tell him you know, do you think that it’ll make a difference? Here’s a reality check for you pal, Fury won’t stop. He’ll just replace your team with someone else for this mission. Whether you like it or not, in the grand scheme of things, you’re more replaceable than Zola right now. If you want to help Clint, confrontation is not the answer.”

Steve deflates, and it’s like watching a child’s balloon lose air. He slumps against the wall and asks hollowly, “What do I do? How can I face Natasha or Phil and tell them about this?”

Sitting down heavily next to the other man, he replies sternly, “First, lose the mopey face. This isn’t your fault or direct responsibility in any way so stop trying to take the blame for it. Yes, Clint is your teammate, but that means right now, he needs you to be at the top of your game. Secondly, both Coulson and Natasha used to be intelligence officers and spies. I have no doubt they’ve got a good idea of what’s going on.”

Shaking his head, he looks up at the ceiling, “Our best bet is finding out what else we can hold over HYDRA’s head right now. Since Zola is off the table, we need to look for anything else we can offer. You have any ideas?”

“I…I don’t think so. Does it need to be people?”

“Not necessarily. Trade secrets, land deals, vast sums of money, they’re all good bartering points.”

Steve looks thoughtful for a few moments, “I think there might be something. You’ll have to give me till tomorrow morning to work it out though.”

Shrugging Bucky replies, “Sounds fine to me. Do I get to know about what you’re planning?”

“Not until I’m sure we can use it. What I’m thinking off isn’t even supposed to exist.” He gets up and tugs a hand through his hair, pulling it up into messy spikes and picks up his phone, shooting off a text to someone.

It’s less than a minute before his phone rings, and from where Bucky’s sitting he can just make out the name on the caller ID, Tony Stark.

“Hey,” says Steve in a hushed voice, “Sorry to call you so late, yeah I know. It’s an emergency.”

He steps out into the living room to get some privacy and Bucky waits for a good five minutes before casually heading towards the doorway. He strains his ears and catches a few sentences.

“…couldn’t have known. You know how they operate. Especially because you were right about Fury. I know you don’t like this…. I know, and I’m sorry. If there was any other way…. I’m not asking you to be best friends, I’m just asking you to help him… I know…Thanks Tony. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He hangs up and Bucky hastens back to his seat, pulling on his best poker face when Steve walks back in.

“We might have something you can dangle in front of HYDRA.” Steve says softly. “You’re meeting Tony tomorrow morning to decide how best to go about it, he’ll help you transfer the information onto hardware and get you set up.”

Bucky nods, carefully schooling his features to one of acceptance. Inwardly though, his brain is working overdrive. From the sound of it, they’re offering intel and possibly land. Fury might not be too concerned about the latter but he knows the Board would throw a fit over the intel, which means he needs to come up with a plan to make sure nothing goes wrong. He’s mulling things over when Steve’s words strike him.

“You’re not coming with me?” he asks curiously.

“I’ll drop you off at the lab in the morning, there’s enough security there without me. There’s something I need to look into by myself tomorrow though.” It’s then that Bucky notices how tired Steve looks, how his shoulders are stiff and tense and his forehead is lined. He gently closes the lid of his laptop and says, “I think I’m going to turn in for the night, if it’s all the same to you. I feel like I’ve had enough excitement to last a long time. Think you should probably do the same.”

“I don’t know how much sleep I’ll be able to get.” Steve says bashfully.

“Lie down then, it’s better than you running yourself ragged. Come on,” he says, with a drawl and a smirk, “I’ll even tuck you in.”

He’s rewarded for his efforts with a bright blush and stammering.

Laughing, Bucky pats Steve’s shoulder, “You’re adorable you know that?” And maybe after all of this is done, he’ll ask Steve out, something quiet like ice-cream or a baseball game.

There’s a lot of tossing and turning but eventually Steve falls asleep. Bucky spends the rest of the night staring at the cracks on the ceiling.

* * *

I mean.... I'd like Bucky Barnes to tuck me in at night if it's all the same.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Initially, the plan was to write a story a day. However, I'll be leaving home in a few weeks to go to the UK for a one year masters and am swamped with last minute preparations. I'll still aim at a prompt a day though.  
> I should be working on Guide to Superheroes, but I haven't had the time for that recently. Also I think this may become another AU as well because suit!porn (I'm a terrible person aren't I?)


End file.
